Quality evaluation of fresh and fresh-cut melon (Cucumis melo, L) fruit in a tropical environment.

The quality of fresh and fresh-cut melon fruit (Cucumis melo, L) var. Gama Melon Basket (non-commercial netted melon) and Glamour Sakata (commercial netted melon) was evaluated based on the effects of tropical conditions of Indonesia that are characterized by high temperature and relative humidity. Whole melons were stored after harvest for 1 day, 7 days and 10 days in a non-controlled tropical environment; fresh-cut pieces of melon were packaged with a plastic cling wrap or in polyethylene and then evaluated from the first day after cutting under different environmental conditions (non-controlled environment and controlled environment at 14-15 o C). Melons were evaluated on their quality of the physical characteristics (fresh weight, color of flesh melon, texture of skin and flesh melon fruit) and nutritional characteristic (soluble solid content, water content, total carotenoid, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid). Based on the evaluation results of the whole quality, the two cultivars were significantly different for texture of flesh fruit, water content, soluble solid content, total carotenoid, acidity and ascorbic acid content. Patterns of change on water content and soluble solid content of these two cultivars were significantly different during storage and still accepted to be eaten on 10 days. Furthermore, fresh-cut pieces did not significant differ between the two cultivars when kept under the tropical high temperatures of 27-30 o